Mk II PCB design

My friend the PCB designer has been busy on the Mk II design. The first task is to create a detailed circuit diagram, which can then be converted into a track layout.

This circuit has some interesting and very useful characteristics:

• It is symmetrical. The same circuit could be used for a PCB with one switch multiplexer, four encoders and a single VFO simply by removing half of the circuit. This will make it much easier to devise a min-controller in due course.
• Similarly, it is easy to create more complex boards using the same circuit "building block" approach.
• The Arduino is mounted directly onto the PCB using its header pins. No additional wiring should be required other than a USB connector to the Arduino and HDMI into the display (if fitted).

The next issue we need to address is the physical layout of the PCB. Ideally I would like to use the front panel that I am currently using for the Mk I controller. Unfortunately, the HDMI connector on the display gets in the way of the push buttons on the left side of the display. I've located a right-angled skinny HDMI adapter that might, just, provide sufficient room. It's on the slow boat from Hong Kong and until it arrives there isn't too much more we can do on the PCB front.

Meanwhile, I am adding code to the Windows side of the Mk II controller. This has thrown up the usual flurry of issues that confronts any software developer but each day a little more functionality is completed. More on this in due course.